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Tricia Guild: Colour Deconstructed

Day one of the Meet the Blogger conference that I recently attended wrapped up with an exciting visit to the Designers Guild showroom in Amsterdam. Entering the showroom was like stepping into Aladdin’s treasure room. The furnishings, textiles, wallpapers and accessories were a colourful treat for my eyes. After a long, yet enjoyable day, I immediately felt my energy-level perking up. The prosecco and nibblies, so generously offered by the agency’s employees, added a much-needed pick-me-up too. Thank you!

There were a number of colour stories displayed at the showroom. They included shades of blue; emerald green mixed with accents of fuchsia and bright yellow; and a classic combination of black, grey and ivory. I am sharing a few of my favourites with you.

This “living room” beckoned me to sit and stay awhile. The graphic stripes and bold floral accessories bring energy to the relaxing warm-grey, muted-green and soft-purple colour scheme. Do you like the burst of mustard yellow on the one cushion? I think that it adds a nice bit of zing.

One of my favourite textiles from the new Designers Guild collection is the ‘Roncioni‘ velvet in Moss. It’s the fabric seen on the back of the custom ‘Julep’ chair in the above left photo. The seat is in ‘Cheviot,’ a felt. This yin and yang mix of colours, textures, a solid and a pattern is one of the things Tricia Guild and her team at Designers Guild do so well.

Of particular interest to me is the company’s use of new technologies. I appreciate things made-by-hand and the artists, artisans and craftspeople who make them. At the same time, I think that digital technology can add to the creative process. Tricia Guild mentioned that all Designer Guild digitally printed patterns start as hand-painted designs. The Kashgar, Alexandria and Patio patterns shown below in the “blues” grouping are digital prints; a dynamic combination of the artists’ skills and cutting-edge production techniques.

My reaction to the colour combinations presented in the showroom reminded me of a statement Tricia Guild made earlier in the day during the conference:

“Colour makes the heart sing, touches the soul and gives joy to the spirit. Searching for this special feeling is my life’s passion.”

Indeed, colour has a transformative effect on our psyche. Yellows can excite or agitate (perhaps read my earlier post about Van Gogh’s love of yellow). Neutrals can soothe or bore. The secret is finding the right mix of colour, pattern and texture. Interior design books such as Tricia Guild’s latest,”Colour Deconstructed,” help us to find what works best for our unique personalities and spaces.

As part of the showroom event, Tricia Guild was on hand to personalize copies of her new book. Meeting Tricia Guild in person was a great experience for me. I admire her work and adore the Designers Guild line. Well-known for her impeccable sense of design and style, Tricia Guild is also a savvy business woman.

I purchased a copy of “Colour Deconstructed” (or in my case, “Kleur Ontrafeld,” no, I don’t read Dutch, although perhaps I will one day) at the event and am quite enjoying it.

To start, the book is beautifully constructed. I appreciate the attention to detail Tricia Guild gives to her books. This one has a colourfully stitched binding and brightly edged pages. So far, I’ve taken note of three different cover photos. The English-language version features indigo shibori; the German, a blue floral; and the Dutch, a red and blue floral, with touches of orange. Isn’t the ombré end-paper fabulous? It has the look of the Guild’s ‘saraille’ wallpaper.Tricia Guild fills “Colour Deconstructed” with design inspiration and insights. Our responses to the different environments and images presented in the book offer clues as to the design elements that we would most enjoy having in our own homes.

We see how a few special touches create that “wow” factor. The interior layouts mix contemporary with classic, botanicals with stripes and concrete with linen. Tricia Guild skillfully combines colour, pattern and texture in a way that suits the space; merging her clients’ preferences with her unique style.

Perhaps best known bright palettes and bold patterns, Tricia Guild balances these elements with neutrals and solids. Here are some snippets from inside “Colour Deconstructed.”Isn’t the photography in the book stunning? James Merrell is the photographer.

Inspired by book, I put together a photo collage for a home decor project that I’m contemplating. A bit of reverse engineering since I already have the textiles and searched through my photo files for shots that tell the story of the fabrics. The purple-blue and white colours of the Passiflora caerulea or Blue Passion Flower are symbolic of heaven and purity. Poetic stucco and iron-work are sharply contrasted by the geometric lines of the shutters and shadows. A glorious rainbow cuts across a soft, yet stormy spring sky and a patch of sunlit landscape beckons us. The luxurious bolts of velvet are Designers Guild’s Varese, a wonderfully thick cotton velvet with a luxuriously dense nap. I’ll be combining the velvets with the vintage Japanese silk textile to create something (undecided what that something will be – suggestions?). In Japanese culture, the crane is symbolic of longevity and good fortune. The flowing water reminds us that life is fluid and ever-changing.

It was fun putting the collage together. I hope you create one (or a dozen) too. After all, the premise of this blog is to explore the world and bring beauty home in a way that is meaningful to you.

Additional Blog Recommendations:

Here are a few more posts about Tricia Guild and “Colour Deconstructed” that I think you’ll enjoy:

Stepping it Up (elliecashmandesign.com) Ellie Cashman, wrote her blog post before attending the Meet the Bloggers Amsterdam event. I came across her gorgeous moody large-scale floral wallpaper design on Pinterest months before meeting her.

DESIGNERS GUILD…(mademoisellepoirot.com) Carole Poirot is a gifted writer and photographer who also attended Meet the Blogger. Her passion for all things related to interiors, cuisine and craft is beautifully reflected in her blog.

Book Review: Colour Deconstructed by Tricia Guild (starrybluesky.com) Rhiannon Connelly is a talented photographic artist and entrepreneur. Her background is in textile design. Before focusing on photography, she created hand-painted textiles carried by Liberty of London among others.

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4 thoughts on “Tricia Guild: Colour Deconstructed”

Wow, that’s a suitably big post for a fab event. All those fabulous colours and patterns – they were just amazing. Yes, meeting Tricia Guild herself was great, but you’re also right about the length of the day, I felt quite wiped out (but happy) afterwards. Thanks so much for the link, I so appreciate it. Have a lovely evening xo

Thanks for adding such a nice link to my post – I will enjoy following up your other links as , no surprise, I am a big fan of Tricia Guild. Look forward to reading more about your own project – it sounds very intriguing. Best wishes from Scotland, Rhiannon

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